


the wager

by thetealord



Series: king and lionheart [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Drinking, Gambling, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 11:37:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9321833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thetealord/pseuds/thetealord
Summary: Ravus Nox Fleuret, King of Tenebrae, and Ardyn Lucis Caelum, King of Lucis, make a bet.





	

**Author's Note:**

> (added Feb 24 2017)
> 
> [Because a few people have asked for it, I've written up a brief backstory for this au that should help put a few things into better context. There aren't any spoilers for anything it's all just straight up backstory and optional content for the au.](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rHvf8lxz5hBNn6HIRXFZSQQ0UOGmrEeB8FphmUoI-Uo/edit?usp=sharing)

“Oh,” Ardyn complained as Aranea laid down the Ifrit card on top of the small pile in the middle. “That’s not even _fair_. You know I _detest_ that card.”

“Why do you think I played it?” she asked, looking at him pointedly.

“Here, here,” Caligo said, taking a sip of his wine.

“Just call the damn color already,” Loqi complained, rearranging the cards in his hand for the third time.

Ravus didn’t say anything, but looked a lot like he was starting to regret agreeing to play card games with Ardyn’s royal retinue.

“Red,” Aranea said, sitting back and looking far too self-satisfied.

Loqi cursed under his breath. But then, he cursed every time someone called a color, or did just about anything.

Aranea turned to look at Ardyn. “What?” she asked, because he was pouting. “Going to throw a temper tantrum because I played the card that reminds you of your shitty ex-boyfriend? It’s been two-thousand years, get over it.”

“Get over it, she says,” Ardyn wheezed, looking at the other three for help.

“It’s your turn,” Caligo said, and Ardyn sighed.

“Oh, if I _must_.” He pulled a red 6 from his hand and flopped it down on the pile. Caligo frowned at his hand and started to draw. “Why do you always pick at me about the Ifrit incident, Aranea, darling, you know it’s off-limits.”

“Because I’m sick of you moping,” she said. “Two-thousand years and you’re still pining over the guy who dumped you and _cursed and backstabbed all of us_. You know, unless you conveniently forgot about that part.”

Ardyn waved one hand dismissively. “We’ve been over this before. I couldn’t have known Izunia was Ifrit and was planning that all along. It’s only unfortunate that you and dear Caligo were cursed along with me, and you know I’ve done my best to apologize.”

She sighed. “You know the curse is not what I’m getting on your case about, _Your Majesty_.” She said his title like she’d just eaten an entire lemon, as she always did. “My point is that I’ve managed to get myself a new girlfriend at least every couple hundred years and now Caligo has his boy toy.” She motioned to Loqi with her hand and Caligo nearly spat out his wine.

“I am _not_ ,” Loqi flared.

“He’s my _friend_ ,” Caligo insisted.

Aranea shrugged. “Whatever. Anyway. At least go out and get yourself laid somewhere because I swear you get more intolerable every day.”

“Please,” Ardyn drolled. “I don’t need to ‘get laid’ as you so eloquently put it. Of course I’m still angry at Ifrit and I always will be, but I’ve moved on far more than you seem to think I have. Images of him may irritate me, but I’m not pining, and I hardly need anyone else. If I did, I could go out into the world right now and get any man I wanted, but being King makes one so _terribly_ busy.”

Caligo, who had finally drawn a red card, shouted victoriously and placed it down, while Loqi grumbled at his hand. “I hate this game. Can we play something else?”

“Just draw,” Ravus grunted.

“And Caligo’s drunk,” Loqi continued.

“I am not,” Caligo insisted. “I am perfectly sober.”

“You’ve had half a bottle of wine,” Aranea pointed out.

He stared at her. “ _Perfectly_ sober.”

“May I make a suggestion?” Ravus asked suddenly and everyone turned to look at him, because he’d been so quiet it was easy to forget the visiting King was even there. He’d recently been crowned King of Tenebrae, and had come to discuss the peace treaty between Tenebrae and Lucis, and a possible conjoined effort against Emperor Regis of Niflheim, to prevent the growing empire’s advancement into Tenebrae and Lucis. As the room went silent, he laid his card down on top of Loqi’s, who had finally drawn far enough to find a card that he could play.

The play continued quietly around the table as Ardyn said, cautiously, “You may.”

“You stand by the claim that you could romance any man you wanted?” Ravus asked, one eyebrow raised.

Ardyn looked at him and shrugged, leaning back in his chair after laying his card down. “Well, of course. I’m charming and handsome and powerful. What’s not to like?” He grinned.

Ravus looked at Caligo and Loqi. “Who was that Nilfheim man the two of you were complaining about earlier?”

“ _Cor Leonis, the Immortal,_ ” Loqi snarled before Caligo could even open his mouth.

“Regis’s dog,” Caligo said a moment later. “He’s been a thorn in our side for years.”

“He upends our efforts at every turn,” Loqi growled.

“He’s like a one man army,” Caligo said.

“He has a heart of _ice_ ,” Loqi continued.

Ravus studied the two of them, nodding, then looked back at Ardyn and raised his eyebrows further. “What about _that_ man?”

“Well,” Ardyn said, trying to retain his composure despite the sheer amount he was sweating on the inside. “Every man has a weakness.” He grinned.

“All right,” Ravus said, “then how about this? We had discussed those islands, between our two coastlines.”

“Ah, yes,” Ardyn said, paling, because he was starting to figure out where this was going.

“How about a wager? If you can make this… Cor Leonis man fall in love with you, they’re yours.”

“Wow.” Aranea said. “That’s pretty harsh. I _like_ it.”

“Impossible,” Caligo said, “Leonis will never fall for a man like you.” He paused. “With… all due respect, Your Majesty.”

“Might as well kiss those islands goodbye,” Loqi cackled, rearranging his hand again, which was getting quite large.

“Well now I have something to prove, don’t I?” Ardyn smiled, leaning so far back in his chair he was a hairs breadth from toppling it over backwards, and he rocked back and forth. “You four, despite knowing me so well, clearly know nothing of my charms.” He played his card from his hand as it came around to his turn again and gave Ravus a shit-eating grin. “We’ll see who wins.” And they shook on it.

**Author's Note:**

> This will be an ongoing series which I'm publishing as a series and not a single work because it doesn't have much of a story arc, just a set up and a vague outcome, nor does it have a clear end point. It's basically just going to be a big sandbox AU for me to play in and post work more casually in-between doe eyes and lies, and should also be much more lighthearted than that, to relieve the suffering. I'll also probably jump around a little to get to the good stuff, since I have a lot of ideas to stuff in here.
> 
> And yes they're playing crazy eights but the wild cards are all images of the Six.


End file.
